The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
Fiber optic data transmission has become the state of the art method of transmitting data short and long distances. For example, optical data transmission systems are commonly implemented to communicate data and information throughout an office building, and also to transmit data and information between various locations separated by long distances. Over the past few years, the telecommunication industry, for example, has implemented massive communications networks by installing millions of miles of fiber optic communication lines throughout the world.
Various facilities, e.g., commercial, industrial and/or residential buildings, within such massive communication networks are often interconnected with each other or to a central office using fiber distribution hubs. The distribution hubs are located in various outdoor locations between the interconnected facilities. Generally, the distribution hubs receive data, i.e., information, data and/or communication signals, from one or more facilities via fiber optic inputs then divide and distribute the data to one or more other facilities fiber optically connected the hub. More particularly, the typical fiber optic distribution hub includes one or more optical splitters that receive data signals via one or more fiber optic input lines. The splitters divide each input data signal into a plurality of signals sent to a plurality of output ports of the respective splitter. Fiber optic jumpers are connected between the splitter ports and a fiber distribution module within the distribution hub. The fiber distribution module distributes the split signals to various designated facilities, e.g., customers, by interconnecting the hub, i.e., the various fiber optic jumpers, with the various designated facilities, via output fiber optic lines connected between the facilities and the distribution module.
Thus, for example, for a telecommunication company to provide service to a facility, e.g., a customer's residence, there must be a fiber optic line connected between the facility and the distribution module of the distribution hub. To enable the service, a technician then must open a cabinet of the distribution hub and physically connect a fiber optic jumper between an available splitter port and the distribution module. Typically, the jumper is connected to a jumper side of a service connection adapter retained within a service connection tray of the distribution module. The other side of the service connection adapter is connected to the fiber optic line from the facility. The interconnection between the jumpers and the facility optic lines, via the adapters, are often referred to as connection circuits.
If a large number of facilities are connected to a single fiber optic distribution hub, the hub can become very populated with fiber jumpers extending between the splitter and the distribution module. Moreover, the distribution module can become very congested and densely packed with the fibers of the connection circuits. Accordingly, a technician can have a difficult time connecting new jumpers and disconnecting and servicing existing circuits within the distribution module without disturbing the fibers of surrounding circuits.
Additionally, as more and more facilities are interconnected via a distribution hub, it often becomes necessary to add additional splitters to provide connectivity for the increasing number of facilities. However, typically optic fiber hubs are fabricated to utilize a single type and manufacture of splitter. Therefore, when additional splitters are needed to increase the service capacity of a hub, only a particular type and manufacture splitter can be installed. This restriction can be cumbersome if the needed splitter type is not readily available and can be cost inefficient.
Furthermore, as the service capacity of a fiber optic hub increases, the number of fiber optic jumpers between the splitters and the distribution module also increases. For example, if a hub distribution module has one hundred forty-four service connection adapters, at full capacity the hub would have the fibers of one hundred forty-four jumpers extending between the splitters and the distribution module. The jumpers are typically fabricated to have a common length so that each jumper has sufficient length to extend between any splitter and any service connection adapter within the distribution hub. Accordingly, there is commonly slack in the jumper fibers that is left to randomly dangle within the distribution hub. Such slack can be unwieldy and burdensome for a technician to work with when connecting new jumpers, disconnecting and servicing existing circuits.